Hazelthorn is the kind of book that crawls under your skin and blooms there. This is a a twisted fever dream full of rage, obsession, and sentient gardens that bite back. I was not okay and I loved every second of it. Knives Out meets Belladonna, but make it queer and unhinged.

🌳🪾Forest Rot & Creepy Billionaire Murder Mystery?! Yes Please!!🪾🌳
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
4.75/5

Arc review. Thank you for the advanced copy. Pub date 10/28/2025.

While I didn't connect with Laurie and Evander the same way I did with the DLTFI boys (which was a 6 star read for me) I still absolutely INHALED this book.
In a single day.
Which for me, is absolutely unheard of.

The idea and the plot are SO enthralling and interesting. I couldn't wait to have all the answers, but I loved every winding twist and turn.

Read this ASAP!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for this ARC copy!

CG Drews has done it again. They have reached into me and pulled out my black little heart and devoured it before shoving it right back into my chest.
I was suspicious of the twist from about the midway point but even though I was expecting it, I was still shocked when it happened. That is good writing.
The prose is some of my favorite and I loved the broken and beautified characters so much. Further cementing Drews as one of my favorite authors of all time.

Hazelthorn is a twisted, romantic, eerie tale. I was pulled in by Evander and Laurie from the beginning. Their strange, tragic lives tugged at my heartstrings, and I needed to know all of the mysteries surrounding them. I kept getting surprised by the twists, and I felt so immersed in the rotting, botanical manor. CG Drews' prose is lush and poetic, describing the horrific in a way that's both chilling and beautiful.

The gothic and botanical horror elements were absolutely captivating—creepy vines, eerie settings, and a slow-building dread that kept me hooked. The murder mystery added another layer of intrigue, and even though I guessed the organ harvesting twist early on, it didn’t take away from the experience at all. The atmosphere, the writing, and the way everything unfolded made it a five-star read for me. Highly recommend if you love dark, atmospheric stories with a touch of the macabre.

I am honestly struggling to get through this book. I am currently 41% of the way through and it's just .. it's a hard read. I was super excited about reading this book because it sounded so interesting! I've found it really dry and the over description of everything is wild. I'm honestly disappointed that I am having such a hard time reading this.

Don’t Let the Forest In easily jumped into my favorite reads of all time, so I was psyched to get an ARC of Hazlethorn from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.

Hazlethorn is my new definition of horror. Sometimes dark and mysterious and creeping with dread. Sometimes sanguine and stomach turning. I was afraid to read it at night, then hard pressed to put it down at sunset.

Two boys are trapped in a crumbling gothic mansion following their guardian’s sudden demise. I recommend reading this without knowing too much ahead of time. That being said, some may want to check the content warnings, because this deals with some dark themes. This is a really visceral horror. At the core, it’s a mix of body horror and psychological horror. It address the unfairness of being a teenager, not having any agency, and the bone-deep rage that you feel when you can’t change anything.

CG Drews has a unique voice that’s poetic and vibrant, both in physical descriptions and heart-wrenching emotions. They are quickly becoming one of my favorites. Hazelthorn is more character driven and from the beginning I questioned whether the narrator was a reliable one. This gave the story an unsettling tone that added two questions for every answer it gave.

Pick it up if you love a haunting, lyrical story that weaves into your heart like a carnivorous plant that just wants a hug.

One thing about me? I love books with a creepy gothic atmosphere and a mysterious house. Hazelthorn 100% delivers and then some. CG Drews is unmatched when it comes to their prose. I can visualize everything they write which adds to the haunting feeling. I was completely entwined in this hauntingly beautiful story of acceptance and rage and love. Evander and Laurie will stay with me for a long time, joining Andrew & Thomas from Don't Let the Forest In. I cannot wait to read what CG Drews writes next. Please do yourself a favor and pick this book up this autumn.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC of Hazelthorn! Botanical horror, finding where one belongs, a mansion on a giant garden - this book was a journey! Evander and Laurie do not speak to each other because of an incident 7 years ago - Evander’s memories of Laurie mostly involve Laurie trying to kill him all those years ago, after the death of the patriarch, everything goes awry and hidden truths are revealed. The twists and turns in this book were shocking, the story engrossing, and the characters rich in depth. I would recommend this to anyone else who enjoys horror - specifically botanical horror, and YA fantasy. A great quick read!

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC!

I’ve been in the mood for a gothic horror lately and I’m glad I read this one. Set during the summer on an estate with a reclusive patriarch and a wildly overgrown garden, the overall aesthetic of this book really pulled me in. One of the best parts of this book is the setting. Hazelthorn, the estate/garden, is so haunting and atmospheric; I loved the way the CG Drew’s made it such a prominent character.

The prose is so lyrical that there are times where the horror feels absolutely ethereal. CG Drews has such a talent for writing gore in a way that is both unsettling and beautiful. Even when something astoundingly awful is happening, I couldn’t look away.

Hazelthorn has a lot to offer: family greed, queer yearning, bloodthirsty plants, and sinister secrets around every corner. On top of that, I think CG Drews has created something truly unique with this one.

I’m still reeling and I finished this book 12 hours ago.

Once again, CG spins an evocative horror story that is hauntingly beautiful, but I must confess this one put Don’t Let the Forest in to absolute shame. There were so many times I had to stop to cry, because as an autistic queer the story validated pieces of me I hadn’t even thought to pull apart and gaze at.

This story was less spooky than Forest, but more tragic, I would say, and I am such a sucker for the glitter of sadness.

Finishing this book and feeling completely changed by its contents, I am content saying that CG is an auto read for me after two hits in a row. I look forward to more.

Hazelthorn has sunk its thorns deep into every part of me. It's an unsettling yet hauntingly beautiful story - a gothic mansion murder mystery tangled with botanical body horror and a dark, obsessive love between two boys.
CG Drews' writing is so atmospheric and descriptive that, at times, it was like I could feel the garden breathing, with plants growing everywhere around me and earth beneath my feet. They nail this eerie feeling that the garden itself is a character: overgrown, untamed and ALIVE.
I loved Evander and Laurie so much - they both go through really dark things that leave them haunted and pent up with rage, but their longing and desperate need for tenderness, and for each other really broke me. Being inside Evander's head honestly felt like watching a nightmare unfold: the struggle of not knowing who he is, his clawing, all-consuming hunger, the suffocating weight of being told what he's allowed to do and feel. It was so freeing when he finally let himself explode.
I don't usually read horror, but I'm in awe of how the most terrifying, horrific things can be written and described in such a beautiful way. CG Drews has left me hungry for more and I really can't wait to read their other books!
ーThank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was beautiful in the way an old, abandoned cemetery is that has been left for nature to reclaim. Evander and Laurie are such beautiful, tortured, cruel souls, and I absolutely devoured their story. I don’t know of an author that can create the grotesque, violent imagery that C.G Drews does.
I will read anything and everything that they put out, and I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this.

This was an absolutely stunning novel. All the gothic vibes that I could want out of it. Characters that just when you think you understand they switch up. Such a unique and eerie read!

I knew this book was going to be good, but this more than exceeded my expectations. I fell in love with the characters immediately and was instantly intrigued by the plot. The writing is absolutely gorgeous, and even as someone who doesnt typically annotate, I found myself wanting to highlight every other sentence. The way Drews can conjure up imagery of even some of the more gore-filled scenes with incredibly beautiful language is nothing short of skilled and amazing. I can't wait until it is out so I can force all my friends to read it immediately.
Edit Review

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book, and I am beyond grateful that I did. This is the second novel from CG Drews that I have read (in addition to, “Don’t Let The Forest In,” which is equally captivating) and it’s easy to see the connecting threads of Drews’ narrative style. Their writing is rich and pillowy as moss, engrossing the reader in a sensory cocoon that makes every sentence tangible. Each page of this novel unfolds like a clue the reader and main character must try to parse simultaneously. Cast into a dizzying world of constantly evolving mysteries, I was worried there would be an inconclusive ending lacking answers. Instead, every loose end is tied up in the end, not with a bow, but with a gnarled tangle of tree roots. This book is dark, palpable, and full of a grim sort of growing magic. CG Drews proves themselves once again to be a master of their craft. If you are a fan of gothic atmosphere, creeping horror, and plants that seem to grow with a mind of their own, you will absolutely love this work.

CW: blood, gore, child abuse, medical abuse, ableism, eating disorders, murder, and body horror.

"He knows what it is to be buried alive, the feeling of dirt in his mouth and the quiet fitting around him like a well-tailored grave."

From the first sentence, C.G. Drews had me in a chokehold. They did a spectacular job setting the mood and tone for the story from that very first sentence. I could barely put it down.

Evander is sickly. Or at least so he's been told. When he was 10 years old, he was almost killed and he's never recovered. Seven years later, his life is confined to the walls of his room, where he is kept for his own safety. Day after day, he's left to the mercy of his loneliness and intrusive thoughts. Chief among those thoughts is his obsession with Laurie, his guardian's charming grandson--and the boy who tried to bury him alive.

When his guardian dies suddenly and Evander is unexpectedly named the heir to the Hazelthorn estate--and his guardian's fortune--the vultures come in the form of his guardian's long-estranged family. Secrets abound, tensions run high, and the only person Evander can trust is the boy who almost murdered him.

This book contains multitudes. It's at once a YA Gothic horror, a psychological thriller, a murder mystery, and in an odd way, a coming-of-age story. Drews's prose often left my jaw hanging with its tragic beauty. You could feel the horror and dread building as the story went on, Evander's anxiety crashing with his despair and his desperation not just for answers, but for belonging. For companionship. Time and again, the boys broke my heart with how much they just wanted tenderness and softness. Also big bonus points for neurodivergent representation and disability representation, in addition to the obvious queer representation.

Please please please be aware of the CWs Drews has listed on their website (also listed above). This book, while beautiful, has a lot of potential triggers.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for this eARC!

“𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙨, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚. 𝙊𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙪𝙥.”

I honestly do not know how to start this review. This book left me emotional and speechless with how beautifully written it is. When CG Drews announced this book, I ran to NetGalley and thankfully got approved to read this ahead of time. I’m obsessed with the gothic botanical vibes CG Drews brings to every book, and this one is a masterpiece. And while I loved “Don’t Let The Forest In,” I must say “Hazelthorn” is my new favorite.

Hazelthorn is the story of Evander and Laurie, and is written from Evander’s POV. Upon the death of Evander and Laurie’s parents, Laurie’s grandfather becomes Evander guardian. For the past seven years, Evander has become a prisoner in the Hazelthorn Estate. He’s been locked his room, fed medications daily to prevent episodes from happening, yet wakes up most days with strange scars, bruises, and no recollection of what happened. His life is a never ending cycle of pain and loneliness as he watches his old friend turned enemy, Laurie, live his life outside his window.

Until one day Evander’s door is left open, and as he explores the estate, he ends up witnessing the death of his guardian. His last words to Evander: “𝘿𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙜𝙤 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙨.” Evander takes it upon himself to figure out who murdered his guardian, and ends up forming an alliance with Laurie. Little does Evander know that Laurie is in just as much pain as he is. And maybe he isn’t the true villain of Evander’s story. As the two uncover the dark, buried secrets that live inside and outside the walls of the estate, the more their relationship blossoms. And even though Laurie’s grandfather warned Evander to not go into the garden, there’s a pull between Evander and the garden. The garden wants in, the garden wants revenge, and the garden wants Evander.

As I mentioned earlier, this book is beautifully written. It’s absolute poetry and filled with emotions as you uncover the past and present of Evander and Laurie. Oh how I wish I could hug them both. I adore those boys and loved seeing their relationship form throughout the book. If you’ve read “Don’t Let The Forest In,” you’ll surely love “Hazelthorn.” Or if this is your first time reading CG Drews, I promise you won’t be disappointed. The worlds CG creates are so unique and will leave you craving for more. This is definitely a top read of the year for me and I can’t wait to see what CG writes next!

If CG Drews writes it, I am going to read it. This book is atmospheric, dark, and perfect for fall. I loved the characters in this book and the depth that CG Drews gives to their characters.

I’m going to sit with this one for a while. This felt like such a beautiful (and horrific) depiction of autism that really hit home with me. This book took many turns that I expected it to, and yet the final reveal was still a surprise to me. I highly recommend this queer horror novel, especially as we're getting into the spooky season.